Certain general attributes within the primary familial environment have been found to be relevant to the occurrence and pattern of development of adult psychopathology, particularly schizophrenia, allied conditions and sociopathic disorders. Empirical research evidence is needed regarding the characteristics of these attributes, the mechanisms through which they may mediate the development of psychopathology in the offspring, and the extent to which they may influence the actual occurrence of psychiatric dysfunction, acting either independently, or in interaction with other etiological or precursor variables. This program of research concentrates on several interrelating lines of controlled investigation. The first is on the extent to which parental transactional communication dysfunctions as assessed by psychological tests are also reflected in the actual intrafamilial interpersonal environment and thereby lead to identifiable idiosyncratic stresses on the offspring. Basic to this line of investigation is the examination of those stresses with a view toward isolating the components which may contribute to the shaping of particular coping patterns which may be considered as precursors of adult schizophrenia. The second line of investigation is assessing the empirical value of parental communication dysfunctions attributes of intrafamilial interaction stresses, and adolescent behavioral dysfunctions as indices of risk for adult schizophrenia and other forms of psychosocial maladaptation such as anorexia nervosa. The third line of investigation uses these indicators to develop methods of early detection of families and individuals at risk for adult psychopathology, and ways of early intervention which might ameliorate the degree of risk and/or their social ineffectiveness as adults.